


Dragon Slayer

by Chamaelirium



Category: Reylo - Fandom, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dragons, F/M, Fractured Fairy Tale, Knight in Shining Armour, Monster - Freeform, Smut Hut in the Woods, here be dragons, the author had loads of fun writing this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-09
Updated: 2020-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:21:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23077726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chamaelirium/pseuds/Chamaelirium
Summary: Everyone knows dragons are evil and deadly, and must be hunted down. Right?
Relationships: Ben Solo/Rey
Comments: 5
Kudos: 60
Collections: Reylo Theme Event





	Dragon Slayer

As he grew up in the small village on the edge of the woods, Ben had heard the legends. The stories told of a race of deadly dragons, living in the deepest reaches of the forest, against the base of the mountains. 

They flamed, they fought, and they murdered innocent maidens. These were things that everybody knew. After all, it had happened to that village to the south, right? Or the farm that a second cousins best friend had lived on had been visited by one, eaten their cattle, and burned their house down. 

It was simply a thing that Was. A truth. Dragons were evil, end of story. 

Which is why as Ben grew, he drank in the stories of the evil dragon race, and became determined to be the end of the scourge on their land. 

He had an advantage in height and strength over many of his age mates, and used it to his advantage once he began his official training with the old, retired knight who dwelt in their village. 

Sir Gawain told colourful tales of his exploits as a young man, his travels far and wide across the continent and beyond. He wove tales about fairies and pictsies, winged horses and those creatures larger than the tallest of trees, with long necks and legs like tree trunks. He enraptured the children (and some of their parents) with his tales, painting a picture of the world beyond their small settlement. 

Some of the older children he taught swordplay - Ben being his most enthusiastic student, if not his most... graceful. He thrust and parried with a frantic energy, causing many a bruise on his fellow trainees, and sometimes worse. His mother and father spent many an hour apologising to the parents of the other children, and making reparations on his behalf for damages done. 

He learned to control his emotions, to keep them hidden from view, seething and roiling just below the surface. He learned how to focus and channel them into whatever he was doing, and as he grew closer to manhood he gained a reputation as a fierce and passionate fighter. 

And yet - he was lonely. Nobody in the village really understood his heart, or even cared to. Nobody knew that his time spent outside the training yard was mostly him curled up in a chair, reading whatever he could get his hands on. Nobody understood that this tall, awkward boy, teetering on the brink of being an adult, wanted nothing more than to be like everyone else, to be liked by everyone else. He didn’t know how to talk to the girls in his village, and blushed fiercely when spoken to. The boys who did not enjoy swordplay as he did avoided him, and the rest were focused in their efforts to beat him. 

On the day after his twenty-fifth birthday, he saddled his horse, strapped on the leather armour he had painstakingly crafted for himself over the course of a year, and sheathed his sword. It was the sword of his grandfather, and had been gifted to him by his mother for his birthday. A great red jewel sat atop its pommel and its hilt was wrapped in black leather. His horse Silencer was black also, with a great white blaze down his nose. 

His mother and father waved him away, tears in their eyes, knowing that he was to make his own way in the wide world. Since they could not sway him, they sent him on his way with as best they could, although his mother hid her face in his fathers shoulder as soon as Bens horse rounded the first bend, her tears flowing. 

He was determined to slay dragons. 

__________________________________________

“Kriffing bog-stinking muck headed gobbledegooks!!!”

The shout echoed through the dense trees, causing several flocks of birds to startle from the canopy, and small creatures to scuttle away in the undergrowth. 

Ben’s great adventure... had not been very great. 

He had started out nobly enough, entering the woods with pride and eagerness, determined to show his worth to the world. He had not journeyed a week when the fine summer weather had turned, rain soaking him and Silencer to the skin. It fell for three days straight, during which time Ben had been unable to make so much as a spark towards a fire. Game has been scarce, likely scared away by the great crashing of the both of them through the undergrowth. He had been eating into his supplies far quicker than he had planned to, and was getting tired of jerked meat and damp hardtack. 

The weather had finally cleared, and Ben had trudged on, leading his horse now because the ground had become treacherous with mud. The last thing he needed was his horse to throw a shoe or injure himself, not when he was so far from any human habitation. 

Luck had once again, not been on his side. They had been pushing their way through a dense hedge of hazelnut bushes when suddenly, a herd of deer had burst forth right in front of them, leaping and springing around the two. Silencer had reared, and with a screaming neigh, had bolted in the opposite direction, back towards home. 

Ben’s frantic whistling and calling his horses name had produced no results. The woods were silent now in the damp afternoon, and along with the horse had gone most of his supplies. He had his sword, and whatever was in the smaller pouches around his waist, but his blankets and food were lost forever. 

Stubbornly, Ben slogged on, mud now squelching around his boots, and splattering up his legs. It oozed in over the tops, and ran down onto his feet, which were now numb with cold. How could it be this cold in the middle of summer? When had he last seen the sun? The canopy of trees far above him was thick, leaves and branches woven together as though all in agreement to keeping every ray of sunshine as far away from him as possible. 

He muttered and mumbled to himself, as the velvet darkness grew around him, and the night sounds of the forest began their symphony. forked creaked and popped and chirred, night birds screeched as they dove for prey, and crickets sang loudly. Ben was so focused on his own misery that he barely noticed his footsteps were finding firmer ground. The trees had thinned a little and the air was less damp and cold, softer on his skin. 

He finally looked up and found himself at the edge of a clearing, the first he had come across for days. On the far side of the clearing was a cottage, built low and squat of round rivers stones and thatched with straw. It’s twinkling windows glowed with warm light, and a thin tendril of smoke wove its way gently upward from the fat chimney. 

Ben stood for a moment, sure he was dreaming. Where on earth was he? Had this house sprung up from the earth beneath him? Nobody lived in this forest, he knew. Everyone knew. It simply was a fact... that clearly was not true. Ben felt himself drawn forward, legs moving quicker now than they had all day. The prospect of warmth and shelter and possibly even food drew him irresistibly forwards. He sniffed - perhaps he was dreaming, but he was certain none of his dreams could replicate the smell of freshly baked bread. 

On reaching the door, he raised one fist to knock - and hesitated. Perhaps he should be prepared for trouble, and not simply assume that some kind hearted, benevolent stranger resided out here in the middle of nothingness. Placing his other hand on the hilt of his sword, he raised his hand again and knocked.

Nothing. 

He knocked again. This time he put one ear to the door and listened. He thought he could hear furtive shuffling, as though someone were moving around behind the door who did not want to be discovered. 

A third time he raised his fist to knock and the door suddenly opened. Unbalanced, Ben tilted forwards and, tripping over his own feet, tumbled into an undignified heap at the feet of whoever had opened the door. 

“Ouch.” He turned his head to look upwards from his position on the floor and looked into the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen. 

A woman stood, hand still on the doorknob, staring at him, other hand covering her mouth. Her hazel eyes were bright, and her slim figure was instantly attractive in its neat, homespun dress and apron. Her shoulders were... shaking? Was she laughing at him? 

Ben scrabbled to get to his feet, all dignity now lost. Using one hand to smooth back his hair, he cleared his throat, straightened up, then attempted to bow. The lady coughed slightly, and lowered her hand, a brilliant smile gracing her lovely face. Ben sucked in his breath at the intensity of it. It was like the sun had finally broken through the clouds and shone upon him, making him squint slightly. 

“Fair maiden,” he began, “I seek shelter, if you would be so kind as to grant it. My horse is lost and I find myself without friend or... food,” his stomach betrayed him here, growling so loudly that the fair brown hand went up to cover that smiling mouth again. The smell of baking bread was even stronger now, curling and wafting through the open door and into Ben’s nose. He sniffed deeply, and, catching himself in the act, felt the familiar tide of red sweeping onto his face. The woman simply smiled once more, and finally spoke. 

“Good sir. I would gladly invite you into my home if I knew your intentions are pure. I am alone here, you see, and have none to defend me from, er, dangerous louts such as yourself.” She spoke primly but there was mirth behind her words. Ben bowed again, this time with more grace. 

“My lady, I swear on my honour and the honour of my mothers name, I have no ill intentions towards yourself. I am as you see me.” He held out both hands to indicate his state of being. Cold, wet, muddy and miserable. 

“Then, sir, would you grace me with a name?” Ben blushed violently once again. Damn his traitorous face. 

“Ben, Ben of house Solo, my lady.” 

“I’m Rey. Rey of house Nobody.” And she held out a hand towards him. He pulled off one dirty glove and took it, raising it to his mouth for the usual courtly kiss he had been taught by Sir Gawain. 

When his lips brushed across her skin, it was as though a lightning had run through his belly, and he jerked away clumsily at the feel of it. He though he heard a small gasp from her as well, but when he met her eyes, she was smiling at him, eyes twinkling. 

“Then, Ben Solo, you are welcome into my house.”

________________________________________________

There had been few moments that Ben could call bliss in his life, but this had to be one of them. He was ensconced in an enormous, overstuffed armchair, in front of a huge and crackling fire. His soggy boots were off and drying at the other end of the hearth, and steam rose from various parts of his clothing. He hadn’t been warm in days, and his toes were write and wrinkled from the constant damp. Ben held out his hands to warm them also, sighing with satisfaction as he felt life creeping back into his limbs. 

Rey had been bustling in and out of the kitchen, constantly in the periphery of Bens awareness. He focused on the fire, trying his best not to stare in her direction, as she completed whatever tasks she saw fit to complete. Soon a bowl of food - some kind of meaty, savoury stew, and a huge slice of bread - were placed on the small table next to his chair. Ben’s mouth watered at the smell and sight of it, and he smiled shyly at Rey. 

“Thank you. You are very generous.” She smiled in return, and Ben once again felt the warmth of her, sweeter than the warmth that came from the fire. 

“When you’re done with eating, I have warmed water enough to bathe in, if you wish.”

Ben looked down at the mud encrusted on his clothing and grimaced. 

“I admit, it would be pleasant to be in less danger of dropping filth all over your house. You are too kind... Rey.” He blushed furiously at the use of her name, and wondered if she minded. It seemed that she was not bothered by his informality, and simply winked at him as she breezed into the next room, leaving him to eat his meal in a somewhat embarrassed silence. 

_______________________________________

Steam curled in the air around Ben. he had thought true bliss was sitting beside the fire but now he found himself, chest deep in a large copper tub full of hot water, belly full, warm through inside and out. The room he was in was a sort of all purpose washing room, tacked onto the back of the house. It had floors laid with wide, flat slate, and a large water pump at one end. Sheets hung from a line that was strung across the room, and several small wooden tubs were stacked in one corner. There was no fireplace in this room, but it seemed to need none, with the heat radiating out from the backside of the chimney that it was built around. 

Ben considered for a moment how Rey could have warmed such a large amount of water in so short a time, and then had the notion that perhaps she had been planning a bath herself before his arrival. 

His mind strayed for a moment - he imagined in a nebulous way what her lithe figure would look like, cloaked in nothing but steam... then before his body could betray his wandering thoughts, he realised how rude he had been, taking a bath when she had been wanting one herself. He finished washing himself hurriedly, not allowing himself to linger in luxury any longer than necessary. 

Lurching from the bath with water streaming from him, he realised one very important detail - his clothes were nowhere to be found. Searching the room frantically, he found several soft, thick towels, and tried to wrap them around himself in an attempt to preserve what dignity was left. 

Creeping from the wash room, Ben timidly opened the door that led to the cabin, peering around the doorframe in an attempt to find his clothing. Instead he saw Rey, seated by the fire, her own hair wet and dripping as she squeezed excess water from it with a small towel. His clothes were ranged on the hearth beside her, wet but clean, and steam was beginning to rise from them as they dried. The door creaked and Rey turned, to find Bens head poking around the door, frozen in place.

“Oh, there you are. Did you enjoy your bath?” Her smile was pleasant as she continued to dry her hair. 

“Uh... yes?” His voice squeaked a little at the word and he cursed himself for it. “Forgive me but... my clothes?” He indicated the garments in front of Rey with one hand, the other still clinging tightly to the towel around his waist, as he hid behind the door. 

“Oh, I washed them for you! I hope you don’t mind, but they were a bit... fragrant.” She chuckled at this, and continued, “I was bathing anyway, and it was no trouble.” 

“But, I thought I was taking your bath?” Ben was puzzled now. He didn’t think a small house such as this had a second outhouse. Rey smiled at his confusion. 

“Oh no, I bathed in the river. It’s so bracing, don’t you agree?” 

“The river? The river that nearly swept my horse off its feet when we attempted to cross it? That river?” He was incredulous. 

“Well, yes? There is only one river running through his part of the forest, isn’t there?” 

Ben shook his head, wondering why on earth this seemingly delicate woman would bathe in that raging tributary, and even how she had accomplished it with no danger to herself. There must have been a bend in the river, a small, still pool nearby that she used. Then he shook his head once more, remembering that he stood in nothing but a towel, his clothes far too wet to put back on. Rey seemed to have the same realisation and sprang up, opening a wooden chest that stood against the wall. From it she drew several garments - a long sleeved white undershirt, and a pair of breeches in some rough spun linen. They were clearly men’s garments and Ben was puzzled at their presence, but resolved not to ask about it. 

Handing them to Ben, she then returned to her place by the fire, continuing to dry her hair, now combing it with her fingers. Ben stood mesmerised for a moment then retreated to dress himself. The clothing almost fit him, although they were a little large. A rare enough occurrence for someone who had towered over everyone else in his village, and he wondered who they had belonged to. As he emerged once more, dignity intact, Rey stood and pointed towards another door. 

“Sleep, I think, yes?” 

Suddenly, the weight of so many days of slogging through the woods, nights spent on the ground wrapped in a damp blanket, and the warm, satisfied feeling of a full stomach swept over him, and he found his jaw cracking in a huge yawn. 

“Thank you yes, that’s very kind of you.” Moving towards the door she directed him to, he saw a large, low bed inside, piled high with warm, inviting looking blankets. The whole thing had the feel of a giant nest, and Ben didn’t think he’d ever seen anything so comfortable looking in his life. 

Thought were moving a little more slowly than usual through his brain, and it was only when he reached the edge of the bed, and his peripheral vision took in Rey apparently undoing the laces that ran down the front of her dress, that he finally caught up with the situation at hand. 

With a squeak, he turned away and headed for the doorway. Rey reached out and touched his arm gently, effectively halting him in his tracks, her touch once more electric and doing nothing to calm his suddenly overactive nerves. 

“Where are you going? I thought you were tired?” She smiled sweetly, and Ben tried not to look downwards to the sweet flesh that had been revealed at her neckline. 

“I, I... I think I’ll sleep in, the, uh... kitchen. I don’t want to... impose,” his voice trailed off at the look of confusion on Rey’s face, and then she broke into laughter. 

“Oh! I had forgotten that your kind has strange ideas... listen, it’s fine. There’s only one bed, and it’s more than big enough even for someone as tall as yourself,” her eyes positively twinkled at him, and Ben found himself swallowing uncomfortably. “I promise I won’t take advantage of you.” She winked at this and Ben’s brain spun on its axis gently. Wasn’t he supposed to be the one promising that to her? And what did she mean, “his kind”? Did she mean men?

“My lady... Rey,” he began, but she laid one finger over his lips, silencing him. 

“It’s alright. Come, you are falling asleep on your feet.” She took his hand and led him over to one side of the huge bed, and with a gentle push she toppled him onto its soft surface. Ben felt as though he was sinking into clouds and the last of his reserves drained away, leaving him floating on the deep ocean of sleep before he could protest. The last memory was of Rey shutting the door softly before she crawled in beside him. `

______________________________________________

He dreamt of dragons. 

This in itself was nothing unusual - the only differences in his dreams every night was the appearance of the dragons. Since he only had the descriptions of Sir Gawain (and others who enjoyed firelight tales of the great beasts) to go by, they varied between gigantic, land bound beasts with forked tongues and smoke bellowing from their nostrils, to small, horse-sized creatures with batlike wings, swooping and diving around his head, spitting liquid fire and hissing. 

Tonight though, his dreams took him somewhere he had never been before. 

He was in a forest glade, much like the one he had found that night, but empty of any house. Instead he stood in the middle, bathed in moonlight, surrounded on all sides by creatures he had never imagined. They stood at least seven feet tall at the shoulder, and gleamed all over with smooth, soft-looking scales, in every colour of the rainbow. Some were covered in a layer of iridescence, which caused rainbows to scatter in the air with every movement. 

Long elegant noses, and intelligent eyes stared at him. Some stood, and others sat, while the largest at the end of the glade lounged, running its giant paws idly through the long grass there. 

It was the wings that were the greatest revelation to Ben. Broad, each longer again than the creatures bodies, with find, translucent membranes stretched between delicate bones. They were all patterned differently, like exotic butterflies, and Ben was dizzy with their beauty. For reasons he didn’t quite entirely grasp, he felt tears begin to leak down his face, dripping from his chin and onto the mossy forest floor. 

None of them approached or attacked him, and he found his dream self had no weapon anyway, his grandfathers sword nowhere to be seen. He simply stood, tears making tracks down his face - observing and being observed, for what felt like hours, until the real world began to beckon him back into wakefulness. 

_____________________________________

Ben was warm. He was comfortable. He didn’t think he had ever been as comfortable as this in his entire life, not even as a child in the cocoon of his mother’s arms. His whole body felt loose and relaxed and it took some time for his brain to gather the will to open his eyes, and remember where he was. 

When he did open them, it was to find the beautiful eyes of Rey staring into his own. She was curled up in a mirror of his position, her forehead nearly pressing against his. He lay for a moment, too stunned to do anything, and then he jerked himself upright, scrabbling away from her as fast as he was able. Tangled in blankets and groggy with sleep, he did not at first register he was heading towards the edge of the bed until he suddenly found himself on his back, head thumping painfully on the wooden floor. 

Rey was out of the bed in a flash, clad in little but a long, white undergarment of some sort, and she knelt beside him, concern on her face.

“Are you alright Ben?” Her hands were gentle on his head, and she ran her fingers through his hair, probing, checking for any injuries. The effect of her skin on him was overwhelming, and he felt his eyes slide shut, even as his mouth began to babble.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to - that is, I hope I didn’t take any... er....” Rey’s hands were shaking, and he cracked open one eye to find that once again, and for reasons he didn’t quite understand, that she was laughing at him. It was quiet laughter, seeming to bubble up from some well within her, and the smile that came with it nearly blinded him. 

“Not at all,” she grinned, “You were very well behaved. Now, would you perhaps like something to eat for breakfast?” He scrabbled to sit up, blankets sliding on the smooth floors, and once he was at eye level with Rey he nodded, sheepishly. 

“You are very kind. I don’t want to impose on your hospitality any further, and I must be on my way afterwards.” 

Rey nodded at him, just as gravely. “Are you perhaps on some quest of great importance?”

At her words he felt his chest puff up, just a little, with pride. He was on a quest, wasn’t he? A most noble and worthy one. 

“I have come to hunt the dragons. Everyone knows they are a great danger to us and I want to make sure they are gone for good.” At his words a kind of shutter seemed to fall over Rey’s eyes, although she still smiled. 

“The dragons, eh?” She stood slowly, and Ben tried very hard not to notice the way the morning sun streamed in from the window and shone through the thin fabric of her garment. “I suppose you’ve heard all kinds of stories from your elders, then?”

Ben nodded enthusiastically this time, remembering the feeling of wanting to do something noble, something important, something that mattered. He wanted people to remember him, for his great deeds, and not just for his huge ears and awkwardness. 

He stood also, spinning around hurriedly to face the wall when he noticed that Rey was dressing herself, seemingly without care for modesty or propriety. Who was she? She didn’t act like anyone he had ever known growing up in his village. What was she doing out here, in the wild, on her own? Who was keeping her safe? If there was one thing he knew, it was that women were gentle and pure and needed to be protected. 

“You can turn around now, Ben,” her voice was amused, but when he turned to look he found her eyes were still guarded. He found he missed her usual frank, twinkling gaze, and wondered if it was something he had done. 

___________________________________________

Breakfast was a quiet meal. Ben ate the eggs she had fried for him, wondering briefly what kind they were, as he had not seen or heard any chickens around. They were cooked to perfection, sprinkled with herbs and sea salt, and she had placed them on more slices of that same crusty bread from the night before. Perhaps it was days of niggling hunger speaking, but Ben swore he had never tasted anything as good as the food she prepared for him. She ate nothing, and Ben wondered if she was waiting for him to leave before she fed herself. 

Feeling more than ever like she should probably take himself elsewhere and not be a burden, Ben stood from the table, knocking his stool over in his haste. Rey looked up at him, her face quizzical. 

“Before I go, is there anything I can do to repay you for your kindness?” He attempted a courtly bow, feeling like a big, dumb tree in her cozy kitchen. 

Rey looked up at him, thoughtfully, resting her chin on one elbow. After a moment of silence she spoke. 

“Well, if you really don’t mind, I have been meaning to repair the spring house roof. That is, if your offer extended to menial labour?” One eyelid slid shut briefly in a wink, and Ben wondered if she was perhaps teasing him. 

“Yes, of course, I don’t mind fixing things,” his father had taught him to repair most anything, and even though he had disliked the learning, preferring instead to be practicing with his sword, the knowledge would serve him in good stead now. 

____________________________

Hammering shingles while perched on the ridge pole of a small house was... undignified, to say the least. It was also uncomfortable, particularly in certain, tender regions that were specific to his gender. To his credit, Ben did not complain once. He simply hammered away, sweating in the unusually bright sun (he felt a certain amount of frustration that the weather had only decided to come good now that he had stopped journeying). If he shifted uncomfortably more than once, or attempted to adjust his position to save himself some discomfort, Rey never heard him utter a word about it. She watched him from ground level, eyes shielded against the glare, enjoying the sight of the industrious young man. 

At one stage during the afternoon the heat became so intense that he removed his shirt, throwing it to the ground, and worked on with the sun glistening off the hard muscles in his back. At this point Rey found herself needing to go inside for a drink of cool water. 

But the time the sun fell, the area of roof had been repaired, and solidly done as well. Ben slid down from the roof, landing on the cool grass, and immediately slumped onto it, feeling the blades tickle the skin on his tender back. The sun had not been kind to his usually pale skin, and he suspected that it would be painfully red by night. 

Rey approached, a wide wooden platter held against one hip, upon which were stacked various forest fruits, berries, cheeses and yet more fresh bread. Ben’s mouth watered at the sight, and he smiled gratefully at Rey as she sat down before him, her legs crossed in the grass, and placed the platter before him. 

“Thank you for all your hard work today, Ben. I appreciate it very much.” Her smile was genuine, and Ben felt bathed in the warmth of it. Reaching for his shirt, he pulled it over his head, wincing at the feel of the fabric on his tender skin. Rey noticed his discomfort and looked concerned. 

“Are you alright, Ben?”

He nodded, feeling a little silly when he confessed, “I think I just got sunburned. It’s nothing, I’ll be fine.”

“Now, that simply won’t do. After all, I can’t have you hurting just because you were so kind as to help a lady in distress,” her cheeks dimpled, and Ben felt his heart doing odd things in his chest at the sight. “When you’ve finished eating you can bathe again, and I’ll treat your back.”

Ben began to realise he had not planned much further than finishing his task, and realised that with the sun setting, now was the most dangerous time to head into the woods alone. He didn’t know if he could spend another night in the same bed as Rey - the thought overwhelmed him, especially since he wasn’t as exhausted as he had been the previous night, and had more of his senses about him. 

“Rey... I don’t want to impose on you. My mother would already be ashamed at how much I’ve taken advantage of your hospitality.” He stared down at his hands as he spoke, not sure if he could meet her eyes. “It doesn’t feel right.”

Rey’s laughter pealed like a bell, clear and sweet, and Ben felt his eyes drawn up to her face, despite himself. She reached out and placed a hand on his arm, and even through the fabric it was as though her fingers branded themselves on his skin. What was this connection he felt every time they came in contact with each other? And could she feel it too?

“Ben, that’s very sweet of you to be worried. However, my home is mine to share with whomever I please and let me be clear - at this moment, that is you. However you came to my door, for whatever reason your footsteps led you here... let us call it fate and be done with it. Now, eat, and let us see what we can make of this evening.”

__________________________________________

She drew conversation from him, as nobody had ever been able to do in the past. He found himself opening up to her, telling stories of his life, his family, what growing up in a small village was like. They ate together, sharing the contents of the platter in warm companionship and conversation. 

Rey even spoke a little of her life. She had lost her parents at a young age, but had apparently been taken in by other members of her community. They had lived happily together, “nearby,” she waved vaguely in the direction of the looming mountains. She was living alone right now because she preferred solitude at times, however she was planning on returning for a visit to her adopted family soon. 

Once the sun was fully behind the horizon and the evening dew began to gather, Ben and Rey picked themselves and their detritus up and wandered back into the house. Once again Rey sat him in the enormous armchair by the fireside and he waited while she prepared a bath for him. The chair really was capacious. Ben found he could curl himself up into it with room to spare, unusual enough for a man of his size, and he wondered if both of them could sit in it, next to each other. 

Those thoughts had made the blood rush to his face in short order, and he was glad when Rey interrupted him to indicate the bath was ready. Once again he bathed, tried to contemplate how so much hot water could have been prepared by one person, and in the end gave up and enjoyed the soak. Perhaps she had some way of getting hot water that he simply didn’t know about yet, such as access to a hot spring. He had heard of those, and the fact that the closer you got to the mountain ranges, the more likely you were to find one. 

Rey had laid out the clothes he had worn the night before, along with another of those soft towels, and he dried himself carefully, trying not to provoke the inflamed skin on his back and shoulders. Wearing only the trousers and draping the towel across his shoulders, Ben ventured back into the main house to look for Rey. 

He found no sign of her there, nor in the bedroom which stood open. Feeling at a loss as to what he should do, Ben perched himself on the edge of the armchair, nervously fidgeting with the towel. After a few moments, the front door heaved open and in came Rey, shaking water from her hair, skin glowing and fresh. Ben started to his feet.

“Did you... bathe in the river again? Please, I can do that instead of you, I feel awful taking your bath from you...” he trailed off as Rey held up one hand, eyes kind. 

“Firstly, I prefer the river. It’s invigorating, and helps me sleep better. Second - if I minded, I would have told you. I promise.” And he believed her. There was something in her eyes that told him that she was being truthful. 

“Now,” and she bustled into the house, moving to the kitchen and to a small wooden chest that was sitting nearby, “let’s do something about that back of yours.” Opening it, she retrieved a stone jar from inside, and a small glass bottle. She placed both on the kitchen table, and retrieved a small saucer from the dresser. She took a generous scoop of whatever substance was inside the jar, followed by a few drops from the glass bottle, and used a finger to muddle them together. Walking into the bedroom with the saucer, she indicated that Ben was to follow her, and sit on the edge of the bed. He did so, suddenly feeling nervous all over again. 

Rey knelt behind him, so he couldn’t see what she was doing, and the shiver that wracked through his body at the first touch of coolness on his hot skin, was deep. It raised goosebumps over the entire surface of his skin which didn’t diminish as the feeling of Rey’s fingers, deft and gentle, travelled his back, smoothed over his shoulders. His entire body was trembling on the inside, and he felt hot, cold, everything all at once. He didn’t know what to do with his hands, and he clenched them together in his lap to try and stop his fingers shaking. 

He had never felt like this with anyone before. There had been girls in his village he had secretly fancied, and even one of two that had allowed him to kiss them after he had mostly grown out of his teenage gangly stage. It had never been like this, like just the touch of someone else’s skin had turned his insides into molten lava. What power was this?

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that his mind only peripherally noticed that her hands had stopped moving, leaving his back cool and soothed and the rest of his body utterly on fire. A sweet, flowery fragrance now emanated from his back, and somehow it was her, personified in a scent. He was frozen in place, listening to the blankets rustle as she moved away from him and then the sounds of her undressing. Still he sat, fingers twined so tightly together that his knuckles were white, as the bed dipped behind him, and the lantern was extinguished. It was only then that he forcibly loosened his hands from each other and he lay down, awkwardly curling onto his side, refusing to allow himself to look at her, not knowing what he would find if he did. 

The sweet scent of her ointment soothed him, brought him calm, and eventually, he slept. 

________________________________________________

The dream was much like the night before. He found himself in the clearing, surrounded as before by a plethora of brightly coloured, fantastical creatures. They watched him with an intensity that he had never experienced before, feeling as though dozens of eyeballs were boring their way through his very soul. 

How long this dream went on, Ben did not know. It felt like an eternity.

Then suddenly, it changed. There was a new dragon standing before him. It was not as big as some of the others, but still towered over him by several feet. Its scales were a golden, dusty yellow and sparkled all over as though scattered with tiny flecks of diamond. Its wings were extended, gently waving in the breeze, and Ben gasped at the beauty of the swirling patterns that he found there. They were not stationary, but moved as though they too were subject to a breeze - or a swirling wind, as they reminded him of patterns kicked up in the sand and dirt when fierce winds blew through them. 

The dragon - Ben did not know how to tell if it was a male or a female - settled itself before him, hazel-green eyes trained on his face. He felt curiosity from it, a keen intelligence that was assessing him in some way. He wondered if he would be found wanting. They stayed like this, eyes locked with each other, for the remainder of the dream. 

_____________________________________________________

Ben was suspended. He was driftwood, floating gently on a glassy sea of warmth.

His whole body felt loose, relaxed, and soothed in a way he had never been before. As he slowly drifted his way back into consciousness, he became aware of certain things around him. 

The fact that while his whole body was warm, that there was a very specific source of heat in front of him, apparently caged in his arms. 

That the heat was breathing, slowly and regularly. That it had soft hair, that tickled his nose when he nuzzled it gently. That it also had soft skin, a fact which he registered when his hands began to move slightly, and found themselves sliding up an arm, and cupping one small, perfect breast that had freed itself during the night due to a low neckline. 

Ben froze.

The warmth - Rey - sighed and snuggled closer into his body. Certain parts of his anatomy had registered her presence joyfully, and relished the fact that she was now pressed firmly against him, feeling as though she had become an extension of himself. 

What was he supposed to do? 

He had never even been in bed with a woman before, let alone one quite so... incredibly attractive as this one. Were there rules? Was he supposed to let go? Hold her until she woke up?

She sighed again and seemed closer to waking, and Ben settled for extricating himself from around her as quickly as he could, leaping from the bed once he was free and backing against the wall, breathing hard. He had fallen asleep without his shirt and away from the warmth of the bed, of her, he shivered now in the cool of the room. Searching quickly he located it and pulled it on, trying his best to be quiet, and left the room. 

Opening the door of the house he ran outside into the morning sunshine, grass wet on his feet, and began to walk, with no apparent direction in mind. He walked until he reached the river and then stood at the edge, staring at the rushing water. 

Why was he here? He had been so sure that his quest was noble, was right, was what he needed to prove his mettle and bravery to the world. After all, didn’t all the great legends slay dragons? 

And yet now here he was, horseless, aimless, and for some reason the thought of leaving this house he had stumbled upon by accident was the worst idea he had ever had. 

Something about Rey captivated him. He wanted to know more about her, to know why she was here, to learn more about what made her smile, to find out her secrets... to hold her the way he had held her this morning. 

Just the thought of that sweet bliss made him aware of his physical state, and he made a snap decision. Stripping off his clothing quickly, he made his way down the edge of the riverbank, and before the thought of the icy water could make him change his mind, he plunged himself in, gasping loudly at the shock to his body. It stole his breath for a moment, and he felt the current pulling him downstream quickly before he remembered that he was supposed to be swimming against it. 

With long strokes of his arms he swam towards the bank once more, grasping handfuls of long grass to haul himself upwards. His uncomfortable physical problem was solved for now, and he was simply left with the shivering brought on by the intensely cold water. Shaking his head to get his hair out of his eyes, he gathered his clothing again, pulling it on over damp, clinging skin, and sat in the sunshine, trying to warm up. 

There were strawberries growing on the banks of the river, shaded by the trees all around. They were small, deep red, and grew on long stalks that seemed to drip down the slope. Ben stared at them for a moment, before having the idea to try and contribute something to breakfast, as he had done little so far except be looked after by Rey. 

He searched for a moment until he found a plant with large, wide leaves, and then attempted to use one as a kind of platter to carry the fruit. The picking was only partly successful - his clumsy fingers ended up crushing some of the overripe ones, which he then ate, and his fingers were stained red with juice by the time he had a modest pile. He licked his fingers, and the juice was sweet and tart at the same time. Veritable ambrosia. 

He stood and began walking back across the clearing towards the house, and was startled to find Rey, standing against the door with her arms folded across her chest, watching him walk towards her. How long had she been standing there? He could see the gentle smile on her face as he approached, and the blood rushed to his face at the sight of it. He held up the small pile of wild strawberries between them as a kind of offering, and her smile deepened, eyes twinkling. 

“I see you have been foraging this morning, Ben. I’m glad you saved some for me,” and she winked, her gaze on his lips. He licked them unconsciously, tasting the sweet juice around his mouth, and wondered how much of a mess he looked. Like a child caught in the berry patch, thinking nobody would notice if he stole and ate the fruit. 

Rey reached one hand up and touched the side of his mouth with one finger, wiping away a little that he’d missed. She put her finger into her own mouth, sucking away the juice, and Ben felt the inside of his stomach drop to somewhere around his knees. Seemingly unaware of his inner turmoil, she took the berries from him, carrying them reverently in both hands, back towards the house. What else could he do but follow her, willingly. He would follow her anywhere. 

____________________________________________

The pattern of their days was set. During the daylight hours, Ben did whatever he could do to make Rey’s life more comfortable. No task was too humble or difficult for him. He replaced parts of the thatched roof that were rotting away, with bundles of reeds that had been gathered from the edge of the river. The job was difficult and often disgusting - clearing away the rotten thatch which was black and stinking, with his hands, then having to tie down bundles of it securely so that it kept the rain from falling on their heads. 

He re-laid the stepping stones that formed her garden path, scouring the riverbed for smaller ones to fill in gaps, the whole effect like a beautiful, flowing pattern. Rey was most pleased with his effort, and praised him for it every day when she walked down it to pick vegetables. 

He re-applied plaster in the corner of the kitchen where it had crumbled and fallen off. It was a little rougher than the rest of the plaster, but after he had painted it shining white to match the walls, you could only really tell the difference if you knew to look. 

He spent an entire afternoon up to his waist in mud and muck, deepening the well behind the house. He would load up a bucket with mud and Rey would empty it at the top. She was nearly as covered in mud as him by the end, and they laughed at each other until Rey slung more mud at him and it turned into an all out war. Even that night, when they were both encrusted with black mud from head to toe, Rey chose not to bathe in her house, although Ben was by then becoming used to it. 

Replacing cracked glass panes, mending wobbly table legs, even weeding her garden. Ben worked joyfully, feeling as though he had some purpose that went beyond the urge to destroy. 

They ate together, worked together, and when they had washed and cleansed themselves at the end of the day, Ben crawled into the huge nest of blankets with her. He always began the night faced politely away from her, as close to the edge as possible, but it was though his body moved without his permission. Every morning he woke, wrapped around Rey in some way, his arms and legs entwined with hers, sharing breath together as they both surfaced from slumber. 

Ben always left the bed as quickly as he could, not wanting to wake or impose himself on her in any way, and she continued to not mention it, even though Ben was sure he awakened her with his efforts most mornings. Elegance and grace were not his forte. 

But even before he woke, from the time his head touched the pillow at night - he would dream of the dragons. 

Always he was surrounded by them, however, they did not always simply sit and stare at him. Sometimes they conversed amongst themselves, in some fluid, sibilant language that Ben could not understand. Some even appeared to play games, the smaller ones bouncing floating lights back and forth between themselves. The older, and presumably larger ones played what appeared to be an elaborate board game, set on three seperate levels that they played simultaneously, moving pieces around in a flurry that Ben could not follow. 

And always now, the beautiful, sand-gold dragon sat before him, simply observing. He or she, had the most beautiful, hazel-green eyes that Ben had ever seen. He found himself lost in them frequently as they sat and exchanged stares, and he often found himself with tears running down his face, not knowing what stirred the emotion in him. 

_______________________________________________

It had been raining for several days, and Ben had run out of jobs to do inside the house. He and Rey had spent the morning playing checkers on the tabletop - Ben had used a piece of chalk to draw the grid, and they were using slices of carrot and radish as the pieces. There was much jollity and poking fun at each other as they played, and Rey had decreed that if Ben lost, he would have to eat the radishes as his punishment. He had been clear many times that they were not his favourite vegetable, and she was determined to win. 

Suddenly, she sat up straight in her chair, face turned towards the door. Ben turned to look also, and when he couldn’t see or hear anything, opened his mouth to ask her what the matter was. She gently laid her fingers over his mouth, and Ben was momentarily distracted by the contact that always seemed to electrify him. She turned to him with a smile that looked a little strained. 

“Ben, would you excuse me for a moment? I need to go and... check something.” 

He nodded at this, “Of course. Is everything alright?”

“I need you to promise me, Ben, that you stay right here. Just... stay inside, all right? No matter what you hear.” Her voice was firm, and Ben nodded once more, feeling unease in the pit of his stomach. Rey rose from her seat, and went to the front door, opening it and closing it quietly. 

Nothing happened for a few moments, and Ben sat, ears straining to hear anything that came from beyond the door. Then he heard a voice. 

It was a male voice, deep, and angry sounding. Ben bolted up from his chair and ran to the window, looking outside. 

Rey was standing in the middle of the clearing, with a knight in full armour, on the back of a great warhorse, before her. His sword was drawn, and it was pointed directly at Rey. 

Without a further thought, he lunged for his own sword, that had been propped up by the fireplace since he had arrived, unused. Flinging open the door, he heard the words “Demonspawn!” And “Murderous bitch, I have found you at last!” Ben hit the ground running and covered the ground between them in long strides. 

“Ben!” Rey sounded, not relieved, as he would have supposed, but... exasperated? He positioned himself before her, sword drawn, the great red gem on its pommel glinting in the sun. The knight before him raised his faceplate, glaring down at them both. 

“I suppose you are one of the demon creatures as well? Very well, I shall take both your heads as my trophy!” He slammed it down once again, and spurred his horse into movement. it thundered towards them both and Ben raised his sword, held in two hands, and countered the blow that might have taken their heads off. He stumbled to the side but recovered, spinning around to face the insane knight who seemed determined to murder them both. 

“Sir Knight!” He yelled, hoping to reason with the man, “why do you break your vows and attack an innocent woman like this?” The knight simply laughed and rode in a wide circle, sword at the ready once more. Ben braced himself and stood, not wanting to take down the horse if he didn’t need to, but also prepared to defend himself and Rey. He could feel her at his back, one hand placed between his shoulder blades, and the warmth of her seemed to soak through him. With a great roar he countered the knight’s attack once more, twisting his blade and catching the hilt of the knight’s sword, catching him off balance as the horse thundered past. 

The knight tumbled to the ground, and Ben sprang forward, hoping to keep him from standing again to force him to surrender. Before he could reach him, the knight stood, helmet knocked from his head, and sword in both hands, staring at the two of them with undisguised hatred. 

“Why won’t you fight me in your true form? Cowards!” Spittle flew from his mouth as he screamed and cursed at them, swinging his sword around his head and bringing it down with a bone shuddering crash onto Ben’s weapon. Ben was driven to his knees, the insane strength of the knight almost too much for him to hold back. He tried to kick out at the knights legs, but his greaves protected him. 

“Rey, run for the house! You have to get away!” He spoke through gritted teeth, sweat beginning to drip in his eyes as he slowly stood to his feet, forcing the other man to step back. He heard her make a distressed noise, but refused to turn and allow himself to be distracted.

“Oh Ben... Ben if only you had stayed in the house...” she spoke in a strained whisper, almost as if she spoke to herself. “I didn’t want you to see, not yet...”

With a mighty heave, Ben had forced the knight to give way, tripping him and making him drop his sword. As Ben stumble forwards, the force he had been pushing against now gone, he did not se the knight pull a dagger from his belt. 

He did feel the strange heat rip across his chest, the dripping warmth that followed almost immediately after, and, as he stopped to look down at what had caused this, the intense pain that then swamped him. The pain bloomed again in his thigh, then his arm, and finally slashed across his face. 

Rey screamed behind him. She screamed and screamed and Ben thought it would go on forever, except it deepened and elongated and changed and then it was a roar, loud enough to shake his very bones. He was flattened to the grass by some great waft of air, and felt rather than saw something huge leap over him. It was golden, and beautiful, and shone in the sunlight like tiny specks of diamonds...

It was a flurry of movement, a fury of wings and claws and teeth, and Ben watched, growing light headed in shock, as it picked up the knight, disregarding his screams and the fact that he was slashing with his dagger, trying to land a blow. It leapt into the air, wings beating strongly, and once it had gained enough height, simply tossed the knight to the ground below. There was a sickening crack, and he lay still. 

Ben was fading. Blood loss, and the terror of what was happening before him, combined to make his brain try to shut down, to forget what he had seen, to just go to sleep. The great golden creature had circled briefly and was now touching down nearby, running on all fours to get to him. he had no strength left, and let it happen. 

“Ben!” The creature... spoke in Rey’s voice. So perhaps this was what death would be like, hallucinating, confusing, not knowing the difference between reality and dreams. 

“Ben,” tears flowed down its snout from those beautiful, sparkling hazel-green eyes, and the dragon, which still spoke with the voice of Rey, was now before him, gathering him up in its forearms. He felt the breath sucked out of him, then the pain washed through him and blessed unconsciousness followed. 

__________________________________________

There was darkness. And there was pain. The heat of fever shook him, and dreams tormented him. Not the peaceful dreams of dragons, but of demons, flying at him, pricking him with spears. There were dreams of Rey, being dragged away from him by dark knights in black armour, while she screamed his name. He dreamt of the forest burning, Rey’s house burning, with her trapped inside, and he outside, with nothing he could do but burn his hands to the bone trying to force open a flaming door. 

And then, after what could have been an eternity, there was coolness. 

He felt wetness on his forehead, and carefully bathing his face. A soft cloth drenched with something fragrant and soothing moved over his skin, and he shivered, feeling relief from the heat for the first time in an eternity. His whole body ached, and he didn’t know which part of it hurt more. The coolness of the cloth left his face and was followed by something else, a warmth pressed to his forehead, to his cheek. 

Remembering that he had arms, one hand was raised shakily, slowly, and encountered skin that did not belong to him. He had not yet opened his eyes, and he heard a gasp as his fingers moved over that face, gently, mapping it out as if he could see it. Warm wetness now dripped down those fingers, and he heard sniffs and quiet sobs, as though the person was trying hold the tears back. 

Rey. His brain put a name to the face beneath his fingertips, and the memory was enough to encourage him to open his eyes. His vision was blurry, and his eyes crusted over, but as he blinked to clear them a pair of eyes swam into focus. Beautiful, hazel-green eyes, bright with tears and surrounded by dark shadows. He didn’t like seeing those shadows, and he frowned, the whole right side of his face aching with the effort.

“Rey...” he managed to croak out the word, “Are you... sad?” Another sob was wrenched from her, this time loud, and she smiled, shakily. 

“Oh Ben... I thought I was going to lose you. You brave, dumb, sweet man.” A new freshet of tears flowed from her eyes and Ben tried to wipe them away with his thumb, hand still feeling clumsy and weak. He felt sleep, rather than unconsciousness, dragging him down gently into darkness and tried to smile, to let Rey know that he was alright. He didn’t want her to cry, not ever again. 

________________________________________

The next time he woke was to the sensation of something being peeled back from his torso. His eyes opened easier this time, and he felt as though he was more his own man again, and able to control his limbs better. Lifting his head to see what was happening, he saw Rey gently pulling back a wide, cloth dressing, which was smeared liberally with dark, pungent ointment. The appearance of a long, angry wound beneath made him suck his breath in sharply. This alerted Rey to the fact that he was awake, and she turned to look at him, a soft smile on her face. 

“Good morning, sleepyhead. I hope I’m not hurting you too much, here.” She indicated to where she had been checking one of his wounds. Ben shook his head a little and smiled in return, his face feeling a little less like it was going to split in half when he did so. 

“It’s fine. Feels better.” His throat was dry and he coughed a little, trying to clear it. Rey gently placed the dressing back onto him and leapt up, grabbing a small cup from beside the bed. She held it to his lips and let him drink, slowly. The feeling of water flowing down his throat was bliss, and he closed his eyes, savouring it. It had been flavoured with something, perhaps mint, and was the most refreshing thing he had ever experienced. 

The temptation to lay his head back and simply drift back into sleep was strong, but now that he was out from underneath his fever dream, memories were beginning to fit back together. At first they were blurred, and Ben couldn’t be sure if they were mixed in with his dreams or if they had really happened. Could there be any other explanation? The aching at his side, across his face, and everywhere else told him that the knight, at least, had been real. 

Rey... and here his brain staggered to a stop. Rey had been there, and then something else had been there. Something that had leapt over him, that had swept him to the ground with a single beat of its great, golden wings. Something that shared the same eyes as the woman who was currently taking care of him, nursing him back to health. His body tensed, and he knew she could feel it because she stopped touching the wound on his leg and turned to look at him, those devastating eyes wide. 

“Ben, I can... I can explain everything, I promise.”

He almost laughed at her words. Could she? Could anything explain what had happened in the clearing? Perhaps he had died at the hands of the knight and this was all a hallucination, a dream after death that refused to give him rest. 

“What was... who was...?” He couldn’t seem to form the question properly, as though speaking it aloud would make the answers to it true. Rey’s eyes dimmed a little. 

“Yes, Ben, it was me. I wanted to tell you, I was going to tell you, but I selfishly wanted to keep you to myself a little longer before you... found out. You probably would have left me then anyway.” She laughed, a bitter, cynical sound. “The dragon slayer, came to fight a dragon. Well, here I am.” Rey spread her hands wide, as though displaying herself. 

Thoughts swirled in Ben’s head, and was unsure how to put them in order. 

“Does that mean... you can change from, from this,” he indicated her sitting on the floor beside the bed, “into... that?” He waved his hands in the air, trying to describe something much larger than himself. “But, everyone knows that dragons.. are dragons?”

Rey laughed again, as though he had caught her by surprise, and it felt a little more like a true laugh. 

“There are a lot of things that everyone knows, I suspect. I should like to meet this Everyone one day, and learn all the secrets of the world from them.” 

Ben couldn’t entirely help the tiny smile that crept up one corner of his mouth. Rey’s hand came to rest on his forehead again, as though checking his temperature, and as it slid down his cheek he captured it with his own, holding it there. 

“Whatever, whoever you are, you saved my life.” He turned his face, feeling bold now, and pressed his lips against her palm. Rey’s breath rushed inwards sharply, and her eyes closed for a moment. 

“It’s just me, Ben. It’s still me. And you’re welcome.”

______________________________________________________

In the days that followed, Ben became stronger and stronger. Rey tended to his wounds, applying medicinal ointment and washing them and making sure they didn’t fester. She brought him food - fed him thin broth to begin with, and then when his appetite returned, heartier fare. After a while he was able to get up with Rey’s assistance and hobble around the room. His muscles were stiff and unused, and his movements were slow and stiff to begin with. It was frustratingly slow at times, and Ben often found himself gritting his teeth in frustration and pain. 

Rey made him laugh. She always knew when he was reaching his limit and would soothe him with gentle hands on his shoulders, or entwine her fingers with his. She encouraged him, told him ribald jokes that had him giggling helplessly while also blushing, or teased him in such a way that he couldn’t take offence to. 

Whenever he could, Ben stole touches from her as well. A hand on her knee, catching a lock of her hair in one hand as she leaned over him, fingers brushing up the outside of her arm, a kiss dropped on her shoulder while he leaned against her for strength. She allowed them all, even encouraged them with a smile and her shining eyes. 

He asked her more about her life, now that she felt free to discuss all of it. Her people lived on the mountain that ben had been making his way towards. They were able to shift between human and dragon at will (although to do so quickly meant a fair amount of discomfort) and lived in a community that supported both forms. The largeness of some of Rey’s furniture made sense now - her enormous armchair was an excellent size for a dragon to curl up in before the fire, and her huge bed with its nest of blankets was self explanatory. 

Rey was living alone intentionally. She had lost her parents to dragon killers when they were in their human form, as they had been focused on protecting their offspring - her. But the time the other dragons had found her, she had spent so long in human form that it came most naturally to her. Even living with the rest of the dragons her whole life, she still found herself a little set apart from them, although she knew she was loved and accepted. 

So for part of the year, she retreated to this cottage, enjoying the peace and solitude and spending all her time in her human form. She made an exception for hunting - now Ben knew why there was never a lack of meat on the table. Rey was well able to take down a whole deer with very little effort on her part, something that Ben could not quite watch yet without feeling a twinge of remembered terror from when his own life had been in danger. 

Bens wounds had healed, but the scars remained. He would forever be marked by what had happened to him. He could ignore the ones that marred his body, but the one on his face was the most difficult to accept. He had stayed away from the small mirror in Rey’s bedroom, refusing to look at his reflection, not wanting to see how he had been marred. He could feel it beneath his fingers, cutting across his face from forehead to cheek, passing over his eye. The skin was rough as it healed.

Rey had shifted in front of him and he watched her form morph from one to another, until the effect made him dizzy, and he needed to look away and swallow a few times. She had allowed him to touch her like this, and he marvelled at the elegance of her shape, the softness of her scales, and the intricate, beautiful designs that covered her wing membranes. She was just as beautiful as she had appeared in his dreams, and he found himself studying her, as fascinated with her in this form as he was with her human form. 

___________________________________________

The days were changing now, growing cooler and shorter, leaves beginning to change on the trees and drifting downwards, gathering in huge piles on the forest floor. Ben was finally strong enough to work around the house, and he threw himself into it joyfully, not even considering the fact that his family probably thought him dead already. 

Things between himself and Rey were still comfortable, and sweet, but nothing more. They shared a bed at night, and while Ben still found them inevitably intertwined the next morning, he no longer fought it, remaining wrapped around Rey and revelling in her warmth and closeness. 

However, nothing was changing. She made no further moves than she already did - those smiles, sweet touches with fingertips, fingers laced with his when they walked side by side. He felt as though she was hanging back, perhaps waiting for something to happen, or to change. Or perhaps she simply didn’t view him the same way he viewed her? 

His infatuation for her had morphed into a deep respect and desire. He wanted more - he wanted everything she was willing to give him. From the moment he had set eyes on her he had felt a pull to her, as though the first look into her eyes had ensnared him as surely as a hunter catches its prey. 

He was caught, and gladly. But would she allow herself to be caught in return. 

_________________________________________

They had been picking hazelnuts from the bushes that grew in the woods nearby. They picked the nuts that had fallen from the bush and were filling the large basket they carried between them. Every now and then Ben would feel a nut bounce off of him, and turn to find Rey studiously looking at the ground, suddenly appearing very focused on her task. After this had happened a few times Ben saw movement out of the corner of his eyes, and spun around to catch her in the act. 

“Caught you!” He was triumphant, and grabbed a handful of nuts, ready to pelt her in return. She shrieked in laughter and leapt to her feet, bolting away from him at top speed. He scrambled to his feet and began to run after her, trying and failing to hit her with his missiles. They ran like small children, laughing and running after each other around the trees, When he ran out of nuts, Ben resorted to picking up handfuls of leaves and flinging them at Rey, who began to do the same. 

As they ran and played, Rey, passing close to the exposed roots of a huge old oak, tripped on one and fell, laughing and gasping, into a giant drift of leaves at its base. Ben tumbled after her, landing with his head under a pile of leaves. Rey laughed until her sides ached at the sight, and Ben shook them off himself gravely, picking a few strays from his hair. 

All of a sudden, something seemed to snap within him, and he couldn’t stand it any longer. He crawled towards Rey, all traces of laugher disappeared from his face, and his eyes intent. The laugher in her throat died at the look in his eyes. Slowly, deliberately, Ben made his way up her body, caging her in with his own. Reaching her head, he lowered himself down, his forearms on either side of her face, his knees shifting between hers, nudging them apart. Now their whole bodies were touching, laid against each other, and they could feel their combined heartbeats thundering together. 

Still Ben held back, searching her face, not taking that final step over the edge. Rey was looking into his eyes, and he felt as though they were examining each other’s souls. Whatever conclusions she came to, Rey finally gave a small nod, as though granting permission, and Ben felt triumph roar through his veins.

The temptation to rush in and simply take her then and there was strong, but he held himself back. Slowly, oh so slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers, turning his head to the side so their lips would meld together. The kiss was so sweet, like slow flowing honey, and Ben found that he had forgotten to breathe after a few moments of Rey’s mouth moving against his. He pulled away, grasping for air, and was gratified to notice that she did the same. Her mouth was red, and swollen, and her cheeks flushed. He imagined he looked much the same. 

He chased her lips once again unable to help himself now that he had tasted of her sweetness. He sought entrance with his tongue and it was granted, Rey welcoming him in, her tongue tangling with his, both exploring the other with enthusiasm. Ben felt as though his entire body was on fire - it swirled in his veins, and was collecting in his belly, a hot pool of lava. He couldn’t help the motion of his body, and ground his hips against Rey’s center, seeking some kind of relief. 

She gasped into his mouth in response, and brought one foot up to wrap around his calf, as though trying to press him closer. 

He was coming undone, sweet mercy, and rolled his hips rhythmically against Rey, switching the attentions of his mouth to the side of her neck, the place behind her ear, the sweet dip in between her collarbones. 

It was too much at once, and it was not enough. Trying desperately to get himself under control, he tore himself away and rolled over, pulling Rey on top of him. They lay, panting, their mouths ravaged, both feeling as though the heat they were generating would cause the leaves around them to combust at any given moment. 

“Maybe,” Ben panted, trying to gather his thoughts, “we should go back to the house?” Rey nodded eagerly at his question, but before he could sit up, she leaned forward and once again pressed her mouth to his. Instantly he became lost in sensation and found his hands gripping her backside as she returned his earlier torture, now moving her body against his. 

Gasping for air, Rey was the one to pull away this time, and her eyes were full of mirth and desire as she said, “Maybe you’re right.” This time they both stood, brushing the leaves off themselves, and without a word, turned to pick up the heavy basket of nuts between them..

The journey back to the house was perhaps completed with more haste than the original journey had been, however they were careful to keep the basket level and did not spill a single hazelnut. Once they arrived at the house, Rey indicated they should carry it to the storehouse, where they deposited it, turning to face each other the moment both their hands were free. Neither moved for a long moment. 

Then Ben seemed to come do a decision. Moving swiftly, he swept his arms under her knees and around her shoulders, and swept her into his arms. Rey shrieked a little, and wrapped her arms quickly around his neck in return. Ben turned and began to walk back to the house, while Rey pressed slow, hot kisses to his neck. 

“I remember, you know,” he murmured to her as they crossed the threshold, “you carried me, like this. When I was hurt. I thought I had dreamed it for a long time, but I remember.” Rey burrowed her head into his shoulder at his words, a shudder passing through her. 

“I didn’t know if I would be quick enough, if you would... if you would die.” Her words were muffled as she spoke against his neck. They both clung tighter to each other, and Ben paused for a moment, breathing slowly. 

Using one foot, he swung open the door leading to the bedroom, and walked in, suddenly caught between feeling calm and unsure of himself. Gently, he lowered Rey to the bed. She held onto his neck, however, and did not let go, forcing him to bend over with her, until he tumbled onto its surface as well. As quick as a wink, Rey had rolled him over and was upon him, her knees on either side of his body, pressing hot kisses down the side of his neck, and onto the part of his chest that his shirt exposed. 

He found himself gasping, feeling each kiss on his skin as though it were quicksilver running through his whole body, as though each place their skin touched was melting. Impatiently she pulled at the garment, trying to work it up and off his body. He sat up as best he could beneath her, raising his arms to make her task easier, shivering as the fabric slid over his chest. 

Then her hands were upon him, fingertips tracing all over his chest, making pathways between each mole and freckle he had there, brushing over his nipples in a way that seemed casual but sucked the air from his lungs. Lunging forwards he captured her mouth once more, devouring her, taking all that she offered him. One hand travelled slowly up her waist and he paused for a moment as he reached the swell of one of her pert breasts, until she reached up with her own hand and moved his until it engulfed her. He needed no further prompting, sitting up further, and bringing his other hand up to mimic his actions on the other breast. 

Rey scrabbled at the neckline of her dress, impatient with the lacing that slowed her down. Pulling away from her mouth, Ben slowly, torturously moved his hands towards her neckline, and began to patiently unlace her bodice, taking satisfaction in the flush that was spreading downwards from Reys face and neck as he worked. She was breathing hard, bottom lip caught between her teeth as she watched him work.

Finally he pulled the last lace free, and slowly, as though her were carefully unwrapping a gift, he eased her dress and chemise down her shoulders, kissing her neck gently as he went ever downwards. When he finally uncovered her fully, he sat back, marvelling at the sight of her before him, before suddenly leaning down to take her into his mouth. Rey gasped and grabbed at his hair, twisting her fingers into it and pulling at the roots, as Ben gave her his enthusiastic attention. When he had had enough of one side, he switched to the other, using teeth and tongue and lips to drive her to the point of insanity, where she was all but pulling his hair out, gasping and moaning. 

Suddenly she let go of his hair and pushed back on him, forcing him to let go of her with a wet pop and a reluctant sound of dismay. Climbing out from underneath him, she began to pull her dress and undergarments up over her head. Ben was all for this activity, and tried to assist her by pulling at the voluminous fabric. 

Then she was before him, glorious and perfect, and suddenly demure, her face hanging down as she tried to cover herself with her hands. Ben gently put one hand under her chin and brought her up to look in his eyes, wanting her to see how he felt about her. 

“Rey... Rey, you are so beautiful... so kind... so wonderful,” he murmured, and it was true, she was all of those things. he couldn’t help but lean forward to capture her lips once again, drunk on her taste and needing more. Her hands came up to frame his face as they knelt together on the bed, and this brought their bodies to touch, finally, skin to skin. A shudder ran through them both and Ben wrapped his arms around her tightly, as though he was afraid she would disappear from before him. 

After a moment his hands began to move across the skin of her back, tracing patterns there, before sliding down her sides, towards her hips, and then cradling her backside, pulling her tight against him as she gasped into his mouth. That he desired her was obvious, and Ben knew there was no way she couldn’t feel the extent of it in the way his body was responding. In return she began to fumble with the buttons on his trousers, and when it became too much to try and fiddle with he felt her tug, sharply, and the buttons flew in every direction. 

Just as quickly it was his turn to gasp, as she slid her hand in past his waistband and palmed the length of him, her hand like silk against his skin. He lost control for a moment, turning his head into her shoulder and biting down, sucking harshly against her skin in a way that he knew would leave his mark on her. She hissed at the sensation, and wrapped her hand fully around him then, pulling him from his trousers and moving her hand up and down his length. Ben panted heavily into her neck, arms hanging by his sides as though he had lost the strength to use them, lost in the feeling. 

Finally he remembered where he was and what he was doing, and one hand came up to brush lightly on the skin of her inner thigh. Now it was her turn to lose focus as she turned her face upwards towards him, eyes closed, mouth open. His other hand grasped her chin and he held it tight as he kissed her, roughly delving into her mouth with his tongue. His other hand continued to stroke the inside of her leg gently, moving a little higher with every movement, until she was whining into his mouth, and canting her hips towards him. 

He reached her center and moved gently along her folds with one finger, as she moved her legs further apart for him. She was so hot, and wet, that Ben felt his mind blanking out for a moment. It was all for him, he knew, and he could barely comprehend the wonder of it all. Did he deserve this? What had he ever done to earn the right to touch her like this?

She must have felt his hesitation because she made a needy sound and moved her hips against his hand again, causing his finger to slide across her core once more. The sensation brought him back in a hurry, and he resumed his exploration, listening to the way her voice changed in pitch and intensity to guide him. When his fingers brushed over the little nub at the front, and she moaned into his mouth, he repeated the action, again and again, until she was panting against him, and her whole body was trembling. 

“Ben, Ben...” she could only gasp his name, and as Ben continued to work her with his fingers, he moved his mouth to take in one sweet nipple again, rolling it against his tongue, and biting gently. 

Then Rey seemed to come apart, her whole body shuddering as she cried out, her body taut against his. Ben continued his ministrations until she pushed against his head, gently, breathless and shaking. He gathered her in his arms then, and laid them both down on the softness of the bed, curling his body around hers as he had often down in his sleep. 

She curled inwards, her breathing slowly steadying, as she came down from her high, and Ben pressed kisses to her back and shoulders, content for the moment to simply hold her like this. After a minute of two of this, Rey rolled over in his arms, hands coming up to either side of his face, and kissed him sweetly. Her kisses felt like a drug, like something he could never get enough of, like they gave him breath and life. He wondered how he had gone his entire life never knowing what her lips tasted like. 

Rey seemed to grow impatient after a while, and once again her hand slid down his ribs and stomach, leaving a trail of fire behind her, to grasp his manhood once again. He hissed at the contact, and pulled clumsily at his trousers, working them the rest of the way off his legs, until he was as bare as she was. 

Rey sat up and straddled him, rolling him over onto his back, and he went willingly. She sat on his legs and kept moving one hand up and down his length, almost lazily, causing his entire body to twitch in response. One arm came up to fling over his face, and the other hand grabbed the blankets beneath them, twisting them roughly. Rey had a satisfied smile on her face, seemly please to know that she could drive him to distraction as he had driven her. 

Shifting forwards, she let go of him and instead began to rub her wet heat along him, which caused a strangled shout to break from his throat. Both hands were now grasping the blankets, as though he didn’t trust himself to touch her. She reached out and grabbed them, untangling them from the blankets and placed them on her hips, giving him permission.   
Grasping her tightly, he immediately took control, moving her body back and forth against his, causing her to throw her head backwards at the sweet pressure and moaned, sweet and low. Ben was losing control, he was losing his mind, he needed more, he needed to feel all of her. 

“Rey,” his voice was strangled, “I need...” Rey met his eyes and saw everything he could not say. She held herself steady and leaned forwards, and began to kiss her way down his face, down the scar that now marked him forever. 

“My brave hunter,” she whispered in between kisses, “this marks you forever as mine.” A swift kiss on the mouth, “You stepped in front,” another kiss on the corner of his mouth, “of a raging, murderous knight,” a kiss on the edge of his jaw, “just for me.” And she nipped his earlobe, then sucked it into her mouth softly, and Ben couldn’t help the spasm that shook his body and drove his hips upwards against hers. She pulled away and gave him one of her sunshine smiles, so wide and bright that Ben felt as though it could cleanse his soul of wrongdoing. 

Lifting herself on her knees, she reached between them and grasped his length, guiding him towards her soft, wet heat, and Ben felt as though his soul was leaving his body as she sank down slowly onto him, taking him fully, inch by inch. Rey’s face was thrown back and her mouth slack, and Ben couldn’t help running his fingers upwards on her hot skin, until he held one perfect breast in each hand. An experimental pinch and roll had Rey gasping, her body beginning to move on him, in a slow, languorous rhythm. 

One of his large hands moved to her hip, and he tried to guide her movements, but kept losing focus at the incredible sight before him. Her body was lean, her skin golden, just as soft as she was in her draconian form, just as strong and graceful. His mind stuttered for a moment on that thought, the realisation of who she truly was, that he had been seeking her kind for death and destruction and for some reason had found this instead. That he had found this bliss, this kindness, this unexpected joy that he knew he had done nothing to deserve. 

Rey was moving above him, and it was everything, also somehow not enough. After a few minutes of this blissful agony, he growled low in his throat and, grabbing both hips in his hands, turned her over roughly into the mattress. Rey went with a gasp and a moan, and wrapped both her legs around his hips. Ben couldn’t hold himself back any more - he began to drive himself forwards, plunging into her depths with abandon, chasing his pleasure. Rey seemed to push him on, her nails raking down his back, teeth latching onto his ear once again and sucking it between her teeth.

When he came it was with a strangled, guttural moan, his face buried into the crook of her neck. She stroked his back all through his journey back downwards, never once letting go of him. They lay curled together in the great nest of blankets, sweat slowly drying on their entwined bodies, until blessed sleep claimed them both. 

__________________________________________________________

Weeks of harvest work, making love whenever it took their fancy, and joyous laughter and discovery of each other, was how their autumn passed. 

Sometimes Rey would catch Ben staring back towards the direction of his village. His thoughts turned to his family and at times he wished them to know that he was safe, and also wanted them to know Rey. 

After catching him sighing towards the south one crisp, sunny day, she made the suggestion. 

“Ben, why don’t we travel to your family? We could stay the winter, and come back here in the spring... if you wanted to.”

If he wanted to? He would have followed her anywhere, and told her so in words and actions over the next hour, leaving her gasping seated on the edge of the kitchen table. he was grateful for her suggestion, as he hadn’t known how to suggest the possibility to her without hurting her feelings. Perhaps she didn’t want to know his family. Goodness knows her experiences with humans had been mixed at best, but she laid his fears to rest. 

“I would have travelled to my kin over the winter, anyway. It’s lonelier than even I like here when everything is snow bound, so we might as well visit your kin. Perhaps next year...?” He thought for a moment, and nodded. It was not the answer he would have given a year ago, when dragons filled his mind with terror and death, but now that he knew more about them, the prospect of spending time with an entire clan and learning about them was actually exciting. His love of books and learning, carefully hidden for so many years from those around him, began to reawaken, and with it came a whole new side to him that even Rey had not yet seen. 

They kissed, grateful each to the other for their openness in accepting their respective families. The future felt bright, and full of promise. 

__________________________________________________________

Leia had never given up hope that her son was coming home. Even when his horse had returned, panicked and riderless, and Han had sadly shaken his head, she had set her jaw stubbornly and refused to give up. 

She knew, deep within her, that she would have felt it somehow, that she would have known if he had been killed. There was a bond between them that she had been aware of since he was in the womb, and it was the hope in this bond that she held onto during the long weeks and months where no word came of Ben. 

Then one day, in the deepest part of Autumn before the snows of winter came, as she stood at the gate of the village, peering out at the dark woods, she saw him. 

He was on foot, and walked hand in hand with a young woman. Leia placed one hand over her heart and forced herself to stand firm, to not run to him as though he were still a little boy. His walk was confident, and easy, and he turned every few moments to catch the eye of the woman he was walking with. As he turned and saw his mother, his smile, which she felt she had not seen truly since he was a child, broke out over his face in joy, and Leia felt tears start to her eyes. 

When they finally met, Ben flung his arms around his mother, hugging her tightly and lifting her off her feet slightly. Leia laughed through her tears and kissed his cheek fiercely, feeling peace at last now that her son had come home. When he set her down, she turned to the young woman beside him, and found an equally wide smile, and beautiful, sparkling hazel-green eyes. Taking her hands in her own, Leia squeezed them gently. 

‘Welcome, my dear. I suspect I have you to thank for bringing my son home.”

“Mother, this is Rey. She... saved my life.” Leia’s eyebrows both went upwards at this, and she turned to Rey with an inquisitive look in her eyes. Rey laughed.

“To be fair, he did save mine first.” 

Leia moved between the two and took an arm in each of hers, and began to walk them towards the center of the village. 

“Come then, and let’s hear the tale, of your great adventures.”

And there was great rejoicing, and much happiness, and perhaps Ben and Rey may have glossed over several details of how they met, but they both made sure, when gathered around the fire that winter with the children of the village around them, to tell them that perhaps, dragons were not to be hunted, of feared, but deserved to live peacefully, just as any other creature did. 

And they all lived.


End file.
